From the Sheffield Telegraph:
Sheffield ice cream van ban 'madness'
Almost all of Sheffield's ice cream vans are set to be banned from the roads - under a move to reduce the city's carbon footprint.
Sheffield Council's licensing board has approved a ban on ice cream vans more than five years old "to reduce emissions and improve vehicle standards".
Angry traders say 90 per cent of ice cream vans would be too old for the new rules - and replacing them could force firms out of business.
Rosita Hunt, of Sheffield's oldest ice cream firm Granelli's, which has been going for 138 years, said: "If a vehicle is roadworthy and up to required standards I see no reason for an age restriction".
A bit more:
Another ice cream seller, who did not want to named, said: "There is a riot going off between ice cream companies and the council.
The council must have brainfreeze to keep coming up with more stupid rules and regulations.
Around 90 per cent of the ice cream vans on the road in Sheffield are over five years old, and it costs thousands of pounds to replace each one.
It will drive firms out - just as the spring and summer season is getting going".
Another restriction brought in by licensing bosses is to force ice cream van owners to ask permission from headteachers to trade within 500 metres of schools - even in the evenings, holidays and at weekends.
Ice cream vans are already banned from trading near schools from one hour before and until one hour after lessons.
Coun Ian Auckland, opposition Liberal Democrat spokesperson for local businesses, said: "We like to joke about Labour councilors taking candy from a baby but here we quite literally have Labour snatching ice cream from Sheffield children".
"This is yet another example of the Labour council sending out an anti-business message. At a time when we need to create jobs, this is the wrong attitude".
Another example of why the UKIP is gaining popularity. Liberal politics plays on the heartstrings but there is zero accountability. We need to be more practical. There is a long tradition of ice cream trucks in England -- Bill Forsyth did a delightful little movie back in 1984 called Comfort and Joy about a 'war' between two rival ice cream companies. Worth tracking down.
